Billy Graham Center Archives

BGEA: Decision Magazine - Collection 506

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Brief Description.
Correspondence, reports, manuscripts, notebooks, press releases,
clippings, and other materials relating to the production of Decision
magazine, the offical publication of the Billy Graham Evangelistic
Association. In addition to reference files used to prepare stories on
evangelistic meetings, events and people, the collection also includes
material on the annual School of Christian Writing, which the magazine
sponsored for a quarter of a century, and hundreds of entries in a 1969
essay contest for people twenty-five years old or younger on the theme,
"Why I believe in God." There are restrictions on the use of this
collection. For more information, please see guide.
Vol.: 43 boxes (DC), Negatives, Photographs, 1 Video Tape
Collection 506
[December 1, 2004]Billy Graham Evangelistic Association; 1950-Decision Magazine; 1960-Records; 1954-1987; N.d.

43 Boxes (43 DC; 17.3 cubic feet); Negatives, Photographs, Video Tape

Restrictions:

The BGEA retains the copyright to their materials and their permission is needed for quotation. BGEA permission is also required to copy photos, audio recordings, or films in this collection, as well as paper records in any restricted files. The Archives staff will provide the form needed to request copying permission. Paper records in files not otherwise restricted may be copied. For quotation permission, contact the BGEA at bgpermissions@bgea.org

This collection contains administrative and reference files of the staff of Decision magazine.
Among the types of documents in the files are correspondence, reports, newspaper and magazine
clippings, statistical reports on BGEA crusades, transcripts of sermons, newsletters, and much
miscellaneous material. Most of the materials deal in one way or another with the production of
stories for the magazine about the BGEA's worldwide activities. There is also some information
about the development of indigenous Christianity and particularly Protestant Evangelicalism in
different parts of the world. There is virtually nothing in the collection about subscriptions,
circulation or the business side of putting out the magazine.

The arrangement of the files and almost all of the folder titles are original and not supplied by the
archivist. The collection is divided into seven subgroups. Part I contains files relating to
particular crusades and congresses sponsored by the BGEA (boxes 1-12); part II contains
information about individual BGEA evangelists and other staff members (boxes 12-17); part III
contains correspondence with BGEA offices and other Christian organizations as well as a large
amount of miscellaneous editorial correspondence and other material (boxes 18-21); part IV
contains files by and/or about Christian leaders and other people who worked with the magazine
and/or were the subject of articles in it (boxes 22-23); part V contains the entries sent in by
readers to an essay contest on the topic, "Why I believe in God" (boxes 23-38); part VI contains
files relating to the School of Christian Writing which Decision sponsored for about a quarter of
a century (boxes 39-43); part VII contains manuscripts and proof sheets for the Spanish edition
(box 43).

*****Most of the files in part I appear to be information gathered for stories to appear in the magazine
about particular crusades. Occasionally a copy of the story itself is included. The material
included from folder to folder varies widely and includes reports, descriptions of press
conferences, newsletters, correspondence, statistics, transcripts of Graham sermons (folders 2-4,
9-6), sermons and speeches, scripts for The Hour of Decision radio program, lists, and similar
items. Other files have similar information for evangelistic congresses that the BGEA sponsored
(folders 1-8, 2-1, 4-5, 4-6, 4-7, 7-1, 7-2, 12-7, 12-8). Folder 5-8 contains information on Expo
67, a World's Fair in which the BGEA participated in in a minor way. Folder 9-3 deals with the
1964-65 New York World's Fair at which the BGEA had a pavilion. (Note: folder 10-1 contains
material not about a crusade in Poland, but just information about the country.) Folder 10-4
contains interesting stories about the experiences of counselors at BGEA crusades, who talked to
people that came forward at the end of the sermon. Several folders, such as

9-4, contain letters from people who attended BGEA meetings, giving their favorable reactions.
Folder 1-1 contains a report on a visit of Wanda Jones, wife of evangelist Howard Jones, to
Nigeria in 1963. During her visit she spoke to several gatherings of Christian women around the
country.

*****The files in part II contain mostly information about various BGEA staff members, particularly
the associate evangelists, musicians and soloists. Each file contains stories about that particular
individual that have appeared in newspapers and magazines, and usually also has one are more
bio sheets prepared by the BGEA staff. Sometimes the folder also contains some correspondence
from the staff member. There are several files of material about Leighton Ford, including one
that includes transcripts of some of his sermons (folder 14-1). Other material on Ford crusades is
in folders 3-1, 3-2, 3-3, 11-4 and 8-3, among others. There are also files for articles by and about
Ruth Graham (folders 15-3, 15-4), the Graham children (folder 15-5), and cartoons of Billy
Graham (folder 15-2, see also 18-7). Surprisingly, there is no file for Billy Graham. Note: the
file for Ruth McKinney, the secretary to the editor for many years, is in section IV, folder 22-27.

*****Part III consists mainly of correspondence with BGEA offices in other countries and with
religious media associations, although there are several files of miscellaneous materials. The
correspondence with the BGEA office in Atlanta (folders 18-3, 18-4) and London (folders 20-8,
20-9, 20-10 and 21-1) includes requests from BGEA supporters referred to the magazine by those
offices, routine memos circulated throughout the BGEA staff, materials relating to particular
stories Decision was doing which touched on the activities of a particular office, plans for special
issues of the magazine for a particular crusade, plans for Schools of Christian Writing to be held
in England (the schools were sponsored by Decision), and similar material. The London office
files also contain much material relating to the British edition of the magazine. See also folder
21-4, which contains more memos circulated to BGEA staff on a wide variety of topics, usually
relating to office procedures.

The membership of the staff in the Associated Church Press and the Evangelical Press
Association (EPA) is documented in folders 18-1, 18-2, 19-4 and 19-5. The contents of these
files relate to membership dues, speeches at meetings, professional standards, etc. Folder 19-5
contains the newsletter of the EPA. The staff of Decision also had close ties with the staff of
Christianity Today, another publication started by Billy Graham. Folder 18-8 contains some of
the correspondence that passed between them, as well as press releases and stories about CT.

Other files are difficult to characterize, except that they relate in one way or another to the duties
of the editor and the production of the magazine. Samples of this correspondence can be found
in folders 22-9, 22-24, 23-8. Several bulky folders (folders 18-10 through 19-3) contain
schedules, memos and other documents relating to speaking engagements of and trips by the
editor, often in conjunction with a particular crusade. The material in folder 18-6 largely relates
to Sherwood's Wirt's participation in various Campus Crusade events and his use of some CC
people for his magazine. Folder 20-1 contains reports on Explo 72, an event sponsored by
Campus Crusade in which Wirt, Billy Graham and other BGEA people participated and which
Decision covered; see also folders 8-6, 23-2 and 42-2. Folders 21-4, 21-5 and 21-6 are
particularly interesting, since they contain reader reactions to specific articles and editorials and
the editor's reply. This material gives some idea of the impact the magazine was having on its
constituency; see also folders 21-8 and 22-3, among others. Somewhat related are the requests in
folder 21-3 for reprints of particular articles. Folder 18-5 contains notes, letters, clippings and
other materials relating to relations between blacks and whites in American churches and
particularly to contacts between BGEA staff members and black pastors and leaders. It also has
material on the 1970 Kansas City Congress on Evangelism, held for African American pastors;
see also folder 23-14. Folder 20-5 has reports on the development of the Billy Graham Center at
Wheaton College and requests for the transfer of BGEA records to the Center's Archives. Folder
20-6 contains reports on various BGEA activities in India, such as crusades and the donation of
money for rehabilitation after natural disasters. Folder 21-8 is somewhat similar, since it
contains reports on Billy Graham's visits to Vietnam. It also has several letters from readers
reacting to items that appeared in the magazine touching, usually indirectly, on the United States'
involvement in the war in Vietnam. Pro- and anti-war sentiment (at least as related to this
particular conflict) and the proper attitude of a Christian toward war are frequently discussed
topics. Folder 20-7 contains clippings and the draft of an article about the history of the Keswick
conventions, meetings of Christian laypeople for edification, Bible teaching, and the application
of their faith.

*****Part IV contains files on individuals who contributed articles to the magazine or were subjects of
articles, or who had assisted it with advice or other means. Some people fall into more than one
category. Usually the file contains biographical data about the individual and/or correspondence
with or about him or her. Wirt as editor corresponded with several contributors or potential
contributors of material. Folder 22-3 contains several letters from readers reacting to an editorial
on the life and theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Folder 22-10 has a transcript of a 1964
discussion between Billy Graham and Roman Catholic Cardinal Cushing of Boston. Folder 22-29 has a memorial booklet and other materials about the life and ministry of Henrietta Mears.
Folder 23-11 has several articles and notes of Bible studies by Wilbur Smith, including some he
prepared when he was speaking to the BGEA staff.

*****Part V consists entirely of entries sent in to a contest Decision sponsored in 1969. The contest
was for people twenty-five years old or younger. All contestants were to submit an essay of eight
hundred words or less on the topic, "Why I believe in God." The essay had to be accompanied by
a photograph of the writer and be postmarked by September 1, 1969. First prize was a trip to
Israel, second prize a scholarship to the magazine's next School of Christian Writing, third prize
a $25 gift certificate at a Christian bookstore. Winners were announced in the February 1970
issue. The hundreds of entries are from all over the United States (and a smattering of some from
other English-speaking countries) and provide a fascinating, unscientific sample of the religious
faith and beliefs of a self-selected group of children, teenagers and young adults in 1969. Many
of these essays also contain a description of the young person's conversion to Christianity.
Folder 32-2, among others, contains samples of the kind of letters sent by the staff of the
magazine to entrants. Some folders are labeled "(No)". These might be essays which did not
make the preliminary cut in the judging. Several entries are from adults older than twenty-five,
and can be found in the problem entries in folders 36-1 through 38-4. This section also contains
essays which were a problem for other reasons, such as they were received after the deadline,
their theology was not appropriate, etc.

*****The folders in part VI deal with the planning and administration of the Schools of Christian
Writing, which were meetings of a week or less held annually in or near Minneapolis from 1963
to 1987, in addition to schools held in other locations around the world in the 1970s and 80s.
Faculty consisted of the magazine's staff, as well as other experienced Christian writers. The
purpose of the schools was to help potential writers learn how to better express themselves for
particular audiences and how to make contacts with publishers. Folder 40-3 contains transcripts
of interviews with Wirt, in which he describes the background and development of the school.
As a reading of the folder titles for this section will show, there are also samples of the notebooks
given to attendees, lists of the students and faculty, and materials from individual schools, mostly
those held outside of Minneapolis. Some files contain notes or transcripts of lectures by Wirt,
John Stott, Tedd Smith, Stanley Mooneyham, J. D. Douglas, and George Wilson (folders 41-1,
41-8, 41-10, 42-18). Folder 41-2 has some samples of student work and many folders have
letters from students discussing their expectations and problems. Several of the files in boxes 41,
42 and 43 contain transcripts of phone conversations about the details of setting up the schools in
various cities. Folders 42-7 and 42-12 contain examples of the arrangements necessary when the
school was held in conjunction with a crusade. There are also a few folders for other writing
conferences at which Wirt spoke (folders 42-2, 42-18, 42-20).

*****The folders in part VII are typed manuscripts and printed proof sheets of materials for the
Spanish version of Decision. Usually these appear to be translations of stories that appeared in
the United States edition of the magazine. Both proof sheets and manuscripts are edited in pencil
and pen.

Provenance

The materials in this collection were deposited with the Center by the Billy Graham Evangelistic
Association in December 1981, February 1984, February 1986, November 1988, April and
September 1989, January 1993, and December 1994.

The following items are located in the PHOTO FILE; request by folder title (in bold) at the
beginning of each entry below.

BELL, LEMUEL NELSON. Portrait photo. N.d.

BGEA: ALL ULSTER CRUSADE, 1961. Thomas Fitch and Ernest Murray in front of a map,
making plans for the crusade. 1961.

GREATER EUROPE MISSION. Group shot of the attendees at the 10th annual conference of
the European Student Missionary Association at the European Bible Institute in Lamorlaye,
France, 1966.

CONG. AND CONV.--KESWICK. Group shot of the attendees at an unidentified Keswick
conference, probably in England. N.d.

EDMAN, VICTOR RAYMOND. Portrait photo of Edman as a young man in army uniform.
Ca. 1919

NIGERIA. Representatives of the Protestant churches of Nigeria congratulating the prime
minister on Nigerian Independence Day in 1960; several snapshots from a 1963 tour made of
Nigeria by Wanda Jones, an American Bible teacher who was invited speak at several Women's
Christian Fellowship conferences around the country. 8 b&w.

PALERMO BROTHERS. Picture of the brothers entertaining at a School of Christian Writing.
N.d.

PALMS, ROGER. Portrait photo. 1981

SCHOOL OF CHRISTIAN WRITING. Pictures of students, faculty (Wirt, Palms, Robert
Slosser, Robert Featherstone, Mark Fackler, Norman Rohrer, George Sweeting, Ray Stedman,
among others), discussion groups, the facilities at Northwestern College, group shots of faculty
and students at the Minneapolis and Forest Home Schools, and classes in session. One portrait
photo of school director Charlette Barta Kvernstoen. All of the pictures appear to be at the
schools held in Minnesota, except for three in London, several at Forest Home in California,
several in Japan, several from the 1971 Indonesian school, and four in Durban, South Africa.
1964-1986. 107 b&w, 5 color.

V1 - "Rejoice Looks at the Decision School of Christian Writing," Story, apparently done for a
Christian television program called Rejoice. Narrator Brad Walton visits the 21th annual School
of Christian Writing, meeting on the campus of Northwestern College in Roseville, Minnesota
and talks to Roger Palms, Charlotte Barta Kvernstoen and Philip Yancey about the purpose and
work of the school. Ca. 1983.